Why Mentors Matter: A Personal Reflection

Mentors are more than just guides — they are catalysts for growth 🌱, champions who bring out the best in us 🎯, and bridges to opportunities we might never reach alone 🚪✨.

Recently, I had the privilege of hosting two incredible mentors at our office — Smt. Srijana Gummalla, IAS 👩‍💼 and Sri Raviteja Padiri, Advocate, High Court of Andhra Pradesh ⚖️.

My journey with Srijana Ma’am began during my tenure as Head of Investment Promotion at APEDB, and I consider it one of the most transformative phases of my career. Her leadership — grounded in vision, integrity, and empowerment — gave me the space to grow, take initiative, and contribute meaningfully to key projects.

One such milestone was the Global Investment Summit of Andhra Pradesh 🌍, one of the state’s largest investor gatherings. It brought together industry stalwarts like Shri Mukesh Ambani 🏢, Shri Sajjan Jindal 🏗️, Shri GMR Garu 🛫, and Hon’ble Minister Nitin Gadkari Ji 🚗 — and it was a privilege to be part of its execution.

During their recent visit, we had enriching discussions around several impactful initiatives, including #HarGharThunder ⚡, a passive-income model aimed at empowering households and eradicating poverty 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦💰. We also explored the broader social impact work being driven by ThunderPlus, and once again, I was grateful for her insightful inputs and generous encouragement.

Mentors like these don’t just offer advice — they inspire us to aim higher, think bolder, and dream bigger.

To those who’ve played this role in my life — thank you for believing, guiding, and empowering. 🙏